Nepali calendar

Nepali calendar
Name	Bikram Sambat
Native name	विक्रम संवत
Type	Solar lunar lunisolar
Region	Nepal; used in Sikkim and by Nepalese communities
Epoch	Traditionally 57 years ahead of Gregorian epoch
Start of year	Mid-April (also called Vaisakhi)
Months	12
Era	Bikram Sambat

Nepali calendar

The Nepali calendar is the official civil calendar of Nepal and a primary chronological system used by communities in Sikkim, Darjeeling, and diasporic populations in United Kingdom, United States, and India. It is a lunisolar system with historical roots in South Asian chronology and continues to function alongside the Gregorian calendar and various religious calendars such as the Vikram Samvat and the Shaka era in regional practice.

Overview

The calendar is used for civic administration in Kathmandu, fiscal planning in the Ministry of Finance (Nepal), public holidays declared by the Government of Nepal, and cultural scheduling by organizations like the Nepal Tourism Board, Nepal Academy, and temples such as Pashupatinath Temple. Important institutions including the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers (Nepal), the Supreme Court of Nepal, and the Nepalese Parliament reference it for official gazettes, while media outlets like The Kathmandu Post, Kantipur, Nepal Samacharpatra, and broadcasters such as Radio Nepal and Nepal Television publish dates accordingly. The calendar interfaces with international systems maintained by agencies like the United Nations and International Organization for Standardization in cross-border communications.

History and development

Origins trace to traditions linked to rulers and dynasties such as the Vikramaditya legends and regional courts of the Malla dynasty, with influences from astronomical treatises preserved in monasteries like Tengboche Monastery and royal archives in Hanuman Dhoka Palace. During the 19th century, administrative reforms under the Rana regime standardized dating for land records, taxation, and the Nepalese Army. Later, modernization during the tenure of leaders including figures associated with the Panchayat system and the Nepali Congress facilitated synchronization with colonial-era calendars used in British India and postcolonial institutions such as the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC).

Scholarly work at institutions including Tribhuvan University, the Institute of Foresters of Nepal, and the National Library of Nepal has examined primary sources like royal edicts from Sena rulers and codices stored at the Patan Museum. International researchers from universities such as University of Cambridge, University of Oxford, Harvard University, and University of Tokyo have compared its epoch with epochs like the Julian calendar and the Hindu calendar tradition.

Structure and months

The calendar contains twelve months with variable lengths determined by astronomical observations and historical conventions used by astrologers in places like Gorakha and Palpa. Months align with solar transit points and lunar phases considered in rituals at sites such as Muktinath Temple and festivals in cities like Pokhara and Biratnagar. Administrative months are used by the Ministry of Home Affairs (Nepal) for civil records, while cultural months structure observances by organizations such as the Nepal Hindu Federation and the Shree Chandra Shumsher Library.

Prominent months correspond with events celebrated nationally, and municipal offices in Lalitpur District, Bhaktapur District, and Chitwan District issue local calendars that coordinate with the national system.

Festivals and cultural significance

Major festivals scheduled by the calendar include observances concentrated in Kathmandu Valley, such as those held at Swayambhunath, Boudhanath, Janakpur Temple, and during national events organized by the Department of Archaeology (Nepal). Religious and civic celebrations connect to calendars used by communities like the Newar people, Tharu people, and Tamang people, and are promulgated by cultural bodies such as the Nepal Federation of Indigenous Nationalities and the Nepal Sanskritik Sangh. Festivals timed by the calendar are central to rituals at institutions like Gaddi Baithak and public ceremonies in Tundikhel.

Key festivals include those aligned with harvest cycles in regions like the Terai and Himalayan districts, and national commemorations overseen by the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation. These events attract international visitors facilitated by agencies such as Nepal Airlines and the Nepal Tourism Board.

Official use and legal status

The calendar is legally recognized in acts and gazettes produced by the Government of Nepal and used in official documentation by ministries such as the Ministry of Home Affairs (Nepal), Ministry of Finance (Nepal), and the Election Commission, Nepal for voter rolls and electoral timetables. Courts including the Supreme Court of Nepal and administrative bodies reference it in case filings, land registration in offices of the Land Reform Office, and identity documents issued by the Department of National ID and Civil Registration.

International agreements and diplomatic postings handled by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Nepal) require conversions for treaties with partners like India, China, United States, and multilateral forums including the United Nations.

Conversion and interoperability with Gregorian calendar

Interoperability relies on conversion algorithms used by municipalities like Kirtipur Municipality, software systems in companies such as Nepal Telecom, and applications developed by academic groups at Tribhuvan University and private firms in Kathmandu Valley. Converters account for epoch differences with the Gregorian calendar and variations comparable to conversions involving the Julian calendar and the Hebrew calendar. Civil registration systems operated by the Department of National ID and Civil Registration integrate with international standards used by organizations like the International Organization for Standardization and technical implementations in platforms such as Microsoft and Google.

Category:Calendars